Jerkbait Fishing on Burnsville Lake
Burnsville Lake · West Virginia · Southeast
This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control impoundment spans nearly 1,000 acres at summer pool, featuring a prominent river channel, numerous creek arms, and extensive standing timber in its upper reaches. It's a predominantly stained-water fishery where bass relate closely to cover and depth transitions, providing opportunities for various techniques.
A slender, minnow-shaped hard bait that suspends in the water column and darts erratically on a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve. The pause — where the bait sits motionless and quivering — triggers strikes from cold, lethargic fish. Water temperature is the key variable: the colder the water, the longer the pause.
Jerkbait Setup for Burnsville Lake
| Rod | 6'10"–7'2" medium casting rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 6.4:1–7.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 10–12 lb fluorocarbon (neutral buoyancy critical — heavy line sinks, light line rises) |
| Weight | 3–5 inches, 1/4–1/2 oz (Megabass Vision 110, Lucky Craft Pointer, Rapala Shadow Rap) |
Seasonal Tactics on Burnsville Lake
Lake: Prespawn bass push into creek arms and secondary points, often holding on flooded timber or rock in 8-15 feet as water temperatures climb into the low 50s. Jerkbaits and jigs are effective near staging areas.
Jerkbait: The pre-spawn jerkbait bite is legendary — fish moving up to spawn stack on points and react to jerkbaits voraciously.
Lake: Largemouth and smallmouth retreat to deeper water, congregating on main lake points, channel swings, and submerged timber in 20-35 feet, particularly where current is present. Drop shot rigs and deep crankbaits become key presentations.
Jerkbait: Less effective in warm water — switch to deeper presentations unless targeting suspended fish on main lake.
Lake: As water cools, bass follow shad into creek embayments and onto main lake flats, often schooling near baitfish activity. Spinnerbaits, topwaters during low light, and shallow crankbaits can produce excellent results.
Jerkbait: Strong late-fall bite as water cools below 60°F. Shad colors mimic dying baitfish.
Lake: Bass suspend in deep timber or along the main river channel in 30-50 feet, requiring slow, vertical presentations. Spoons and blade baits fished methodically can entice bites, especially on warmer, sunny days.
Jerkbait: Prime season. 5–10 second pause between twitches. Let it sit — the fish will come to it.
Best Conditions
Cold water (45–60°F), clear to slightly stained water, post-cold-front, early spring and late fall, suspended fish
Tune your jerkbait to suspend perfectly — in 60°F water with the correct line weight, the bait should slowly rise or hover motionless. Adjust with suspend dots if needed.
More Techniques for Burnsville Lake
Ready to fish Burnsville Lake?
Ask Hank about current conditions, water temp, and exactly what to throw today.
Ask Hank →